Railway-tie and fastener.



. WED MAY 13,1910. w

. I Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

2 sums-sum 1.

I 2% Q Q\ \\m w x Q m m x m NN NN m w m b? n HARRY S. ISHAM, 0F BELMAR, NEW JERSEY.

RAILWAY-TIE AND FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented Dec, 20, 1910.

Application filed August 27, 1909, Serial N 0. 514,934. Renewed May 13, 1910. Serial N o. 561,175.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY S. IsHAM, a citizen: of the United States, residing at Belmar, in the county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway- Ties and Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to railways and especially to the ties and fasteners for securing the rails thereto.

The object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive, simple and eflicient form of fastener which dispenses with the use of nuts and bolts, fish plates, chairs and similar appliances.

Other objects are to produce an improved construction of metal tie and facilitate the connection of the rails thereto.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and specified in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiments of my invention: Figure 1 is a side view of a tie constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the rails in section connected thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line w-w of Fig. l, the spring wedge being removed. Fig. 3 is a central, longitudinal, vertical section of one end of the tie. Fig. 4: is a detailed view of one of the spring wedges. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified form of locking de vice between the spring wedges and the tie and a short Wooden block instead of a c011- tinuous strip extending throughout the tie. Fig. :6 is a similar view showing still another form of locking device for securing the spring wedges to the tie, and Fig. 7 is a plan View of the parts shown in the last figure.

In carrying out my invention, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, I form the shell of the tie 1 of steel or other suitable metal so that it is hollow and rectangular in cross section. The top and parts of the sides of this metal shell are cut away, as at 2, in order to save material and weight.

The bottom of the shell projects some dista'nce beyond the ends of the top and sides, as at 3, the lower portions of the extremities of said sides being preferably curved,

as at 4, so that they gradually recede and serve to guide the wooden strip or block is that when the rails are placed in the cut out portions 6 in the shell, the foot or bottom flange of each will rest upon the top face of said wooden strip and be arranged slightly below the top of said shell. The rails are secured in this position by spring wedges 8 which are curved and tapered longitudinally, their thick ends projecting out over the bottom flanges of the rails on each side of each rail. The wedges are first put into clamping position and the wooden strip then driven into the end of the tie thereby tightening said Wedges upon the foot of the rail. Said wooden strip is beveled at its ends, as at 5 to guide it into position below the rail and wedges. Said wedges lie upon the top face of the wooden strip, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and always exert a downward pressure at their protruding thick ends upon the rail due to theresiliency of said wedges. Downwardly extending lugs 9 are formed at the edges of the cut out portions 6 and are adapted to engage slots 10 near the thick ends of the spring wedges for locking the latter in clamping position when they have once been driven into place.

In Fig. 5, I have illustrated how the lugs and slots for securing the spring wedges in looking position may be transposed, the lugs 11 being formed on said spring wedges and the slots 12 in the top of the shell. I have here also illustrated short blocks of Wood 13, one of which may be arranged in each end of the shell of the tie and extends below only one of the rails instead of all the way through the tie. The use of .these short wooden blocks is preferable because it saves a considerable quantity of wood. Their ends are beveled at 13 in a similar manner as the strip 5.

The modifications illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 consist in forming slots 14 in the top of the shell, farther removed from the edges of the cut-out portion 6, and in making the spring wedges more decidedly curved at their thinner ends 'so that they will extend up through said slots when in clamping position. Slots 15 are provided in the projecting portions of the thin edges of said wedges to receive small wedge-shaped pins 16 which engage the upper surface of the top ofthe shell and hold said spring wedges in clamp ing position.

It will be observed that my invention dispenses entirely with the use of bolts, nuts, fish plates, chairs and other similar appliances generally required in railroad construction. Its simplicity and the quickness with which the fastenings can be adjusted will be readily appreciated by those skilled in this art. The small number of pieces composing the tie and fastening is especially advantageous, as is also the fact that the spring wedges, when in clamping position, cannot be easily displaced.

I claim:

1. The combination, with a tubular tie having a slot in its upper face, of a rail seated in said slot, a block arranged within the tie below the slot therein, and a wedge interposed between said block and the top of the tie and projecting out over the foot of the rail for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with a tubular tie having a slot in its upper face, of a rail seated in said slot, a block arranged within the tie below the slot therein, a wedge inter posed between said block and the top of the tie and projecting out over the foot of the rail, and means for locking said wedge in clamping position.

3. The combination, with a tubular tie having a slot in its upper face, of a rail seated in said slot, a block arranged within the tie below the slot therein, a wedge interposed between said block and the top of the tie and projecting out over the foot of the rail, and means for locking said wedge in clamping position comprising a lug on the wedge adapted to engage a slot in said tie.

4. The combination, with a tubular tie having a slot in its upper face, said slot also extending part way down the sides of said tie, of a rail seated in said slot, a block arranged within the tie below the slot therein, the top of said block being arranged below the top of the tie so as to leave a space be tween them and a wedge arranged in said space with its end projecting out over the foot of the rail for the purpose specified.

The combination, with a tubular tie having a slot in its upper face, said slot also extending part way down the sides of said tie, of a rail seated in said slot, a block arranged within the tie below the slot therein, the top of said block being arranged below the top of the tie so as to leave a space be tween them, and a longitudinally curved wedge arranged in said space and resting upon said block, the thick end of said wedge projecting out over the foot of the rail for the purpose specified.

6. The combination, with a tubular tie having a slot in its upper face, said slot also extending part. way down the sides of said tie, of a rail seated in said slot, a block arranged within the tie below the slot therein, the top of said block being arranged below the top of the tie so as to leave a space between them, and a longitudinally curved wedge arranged in said space wit-h its convex side resting upon said block, the thick end of said wedge projecting out over the foot of the rail for the purpose specified.

7. The combination, with a tubular tie having a slot in its upper face, of a block arranged within the tie below said. slot, a rail seated in said slot upon said block, and a wedge interposed between said block and the top of the tie and projecting out over the foot of the rail for the purpose specified.

8. The combination, with a tubular tie having a slot in its upper face, of a rail seated in said slot, a block arranged within the tie below the slot therein, and wedges interposed between said block and the top of the tie on the opposite sides of said rail, said wedges projecting out over the foot of the rail for the purpose specified.

9. The combination, with a tubular tie having a slot in its upper face, of a block arranged within the tie below the slot therein, a rail seated in said slot upon said block, the bottom of said tie being extended beyond the ends of the sides and top thereof, and the lower portions of said sides receding gradually from the ends to said bottom for the purpose specified, and a wedge interposed between said block and the top of the tie and projecting out over the foot of the rail.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY S. IST-IAM. lVitnesses MILO H. GREGG, F. I. PHILBRICK. 

